There is a deeper lesson here.
While there will be a later blog post where I discuss the lasting effects on our societal and political worlds, this gallery is mean to reflect on a man’s life that lit a nation on fire.
These photos are from 6 Days later in Saint Louis Missouri. Largely peaceful protesters marched the streets. A select few caused trouble. Agitators infiltrated the crowds for selfish gain or to attempt to incite violence between the Police, dressed as a military occupying force of the streets they are supposed to serve, and the community who lives in those streets.
The force used in some instances..
As the night progressed, the police changed stance, organizing a rapid advance on largely unarmed citizens. While I can only share what I saw and experienced, and cannot speak for all of the events of the night, as a photographer and observer, I was held at gunpoint by an officer with an assault rifle and commanded away from the area around Olive Street and Tucker as police pushed protesters west.
A short time later, at Olive & 17th Street, police easily outnumbered protesters 2 to 1, if not more, as they lined up with riot shields sidewalk to sidewalk across Olive. The few protesters here were met by unidentified people in pickups and on motorcycles who would charge both the Police and Protesters with their vehicle to instigate a reaction. The protesters and myself, standing on the street and surrounding sidewalks of a local church found ourselves pinned by buildings and fences to the north and south, as well as police to the west and agitators to the east. The line of officers I had encountered at Olive were also marching up from the east.
It was at this moment, as energy was winding down, that the SLPD fired several rounds of teargas over the heads of the crowd in a manner to effectively box them in before ordering the crowd to disperse. A tactic that is borderline “kettling” which landed 343 officers in court over similar actions in 2017.
The conviction of Derek Chauvin is a small, and well needed step towards justice in the type of event that has historically happened far too often in this country. However, the events of, the events that came from, and the social commentary from every news and social media outlet since has only shown a division that will take much to overcome.
George Floyd, the gentle giant as he was known, who had gotten his life back together after 15 years having made some youthful mistakes (last arrest was in 2007) – he was not perfect, nor would anyone confuse him as a saint; but neither am I. He deserved his second chance and what happened to him was far beyond the scope of how officers should have responded. George Floyd deserved better in life and in death. It’s our job to see it through to make sure this sort of thing never happens again.
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